Chapter 315: Doesn’t Firing Her Worry She Might Do Something Drastic?
A group of people was ushered into the office by the secretary. Sister Qiao explained the situation. Old Chang wasn’t familiar with every worker under him, but he knew Wei Xia.
Factory Director Chang was in his fifties, with graying temples, but his eyes were sharp and his spirit was strong.
However, he was very simple, and the clothes he wore even had patches.
The office was equally simple, and they were given boiled water to drink.
Lu Qiaoge then remembered that at this time, tea leaves were tight supplies, just like cigarettes.
Old Chang frowned and said seriously: “Wei Xia is a sewing machine worker and also an old worker, but in the past six months, she has made repeated mistakes and has been criticized many times. Just a few days ago, she ruined a batch of leather shoes worth more than two thousand yuan, which were basically export leather shoes needed by the Foreign Trade Section.”
Upon hearing this, several people couldn’t help but furrow their brows slightly.
How come they hadn’t heard Wei Xia mention this?
Was Wei Xia lying?
She didn’t seem like someone who could lie.
But these were leather shoes worth more than two thousand yuan. Even in a military factory, if a worker caused a loss of equivalent value in products, they wouldn’t feel aggrieved but rather guilty.
Everyone remained silent, waiting for Old Chang to continue.
Old Chang glanced at everyone’s expressions and said: “Wei Xia doesn’t know about this yet. I understand her situation—she divorced her husband, has four children, the other party doesn’t care, and at the time of the incident, several children were sick. So, we decided in the meeting to hold it down first, mainly worried that adding frost to snow would make her think of something desperate, because she recently told her coworkers that living was meaningless.”
Lu Qiaoge didn’t give Old Chang a chance to continue and asked: “Factory Director Chang, what reason did the factory use to dismiss Wei Xia?”
Wouldn’t dismissing Wei Xia make her think of something desperate?
Old Chang was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed. He didn’t continue speaking but picked up the telephone microphone and called Director Guo: “Didn’t we decide in the meeting to suspend her? Forget it, don’t waste the phone bill. Come to my office.”
He then hung up the phone neatly.
Sister Qiao and the others exchanged glances. What was going on?
Then they realized that Sister Qiao hadn’t mentioned Wei Xia being dismissed earlier; she first introduced their identities, then said they wanted to understand Wei Xia’s situation.
Old Chang also thought they were just here to understand about Wei Xia being suspended.
But now it seemed this handling wasn’t dismissal?
If Lu Qiaoge hadn’t asked one more question, they would still be talking past each other.
Sister Qiao hurriedly said: “This is my fault. I only said earlier that we wanted to understand Wei Xia’s situation and didn’t mention she had been dismissed.”
Cadre Liu then asked: “You didn’t dismiss Wei Xia, so how was it handled? What’s really going on here?”
Old Chang frowned: “As I said just now, we suspended her for two months, which also gives her time to handle family matters.”
He took out a document stamped with the red-headed official seal from the drawer: “This is《the handling notice regarding the quality accident of a workshop worker》. According to Article 12 of the《Enterprise Staff Reward and Punishment Regulations》, a 60-day suspension inspection period is imposed.”
Old Chang rubbed his nose bridge: “Salary is paid at 75% of the basic wage. This was decided based on her actual situation and is already a special policy to take care of a worker in difficulty.”
Lu Qiaoge didn’t follow his words. The current Wei Xia hadn’t enjoyed any such care.
The so-called care was like a joke.
Lu Qiaoge said directly: “Wei Xia’s ex-husband’s current wife is Du Wanqing. According to what she personally told Wei Xia, she has a relatives relationship with Wei Xia’s workshop director.”
Old Chang actually became a bit restless.
How could there be such a relationship?
Sister Qiao narrowed her eyes: “Factory Director Chang, as the director of the factory, is your work unit this democratic? For such a big matter as dismissal, you don’t need to know or sign?”
Old Chang’s expression wasn’t good, but clearly, there was a problem inside the factory, or perhaps a situation he didn’t know about. He said seriously: “I went to Haicheng for a meeting, was away for more than half a month, and only returned yesterday.”
In other words, Wei Xia was dismissed after Old Chang left?
This work unit was a bit interesting.
Lu Qiaoge smiled: “For the quality accident caused by Wei Xia, she herself was unaware, but if it really was her responsibility, she should bear it. On this point, there can be no ambiguity, otherwise the factory’s workers would also feel it’s unfair. So, please, Factory Director Chang, tell us what you can say. Thank you.”
Factory Director Chang didn’t refuse and gave the accident report to these few people for them to look at first. He added: “Some time ago, we received a foreign trade order to custom-make one thousand pairs of cowhide leather shoes. We had completed ninety percent, and the last twenty pairs were Wei Xia’s responsibility for edging, locking, and punching holes. But the quality inspection results showed spacing errors. At that time, her mental state wasn’t good, so the factory also bears responsibility. After much consideration, we decided on suspension handling. As for the quality accident notice, it hasn’t been issued to her yet, precisely because we’re worried she might think of something desperate, so the factory can only hold it down for now.”
Lu Qiaoge’s glance darkened slightly.
If there really was a work mistake causing loss to the unit, this handling could be considered humane.
At that moment, a man in his thirties wearing work clothes hurried in.
This person was Director Guo, a man who looked very mild and always had a smile on his face.
But his expression now was somewhat serious.
After a simple introduction, Director Guo greeted the Neighborhood Committee cadres with a full smile.
Before Old Chang and Sister Qiao could ask, Director Guo said to Old Chang: “Factory Director, you just started work and I haven’t had time to report to you yet. Regarding the handling opinion on Wei Xia, the Factory Office and Labor Union have already approved it, fully in accordance with regulations.
The loss caused by Wei Xia has been known to the workers. Someone brought up last year’s incident with Hou Cheng to the deputy director and Labor Union Chairman, saying if Wei Xia isn’t dismissed, then why was Hou Cheng dismissed?
Then Hou Cheng’s family came to make trouble, saying they had already written a complaint letter, and if it wasn’t handled fairly, they would go to Beidu to file a complaint. With no other way, we had to give Wei Xia the same handling.”
Sister Qiao didn’t ask what exactly happened with Hou Cheng; clearly, what could be brought up shouldn’t be a problem.
Sister Qiao really wanted to ask about Director Guo’s relationship with Du Wanqing, but asking now would seem narrow-minded. After all, the current Director Guo seemed reasonable and irreproachable.
Lu Qiaoge didn’t have so many concerns, but she didn’t ask about the production accident caused by Wei Xia either. Even if you knew there was something fishy, as people from another factory, not only did they have no qualification to enter the factory to investigate, but the workers there wouldn’t tell you the truth either.
Outsiders versus their own people, they would definitely side with Director Guo.
Moreover, an important point was that since it had already become a production accident, it proved this matter wasn’t afraid of investigation.
So they could only wait a bit before saying more.
Lu Qiaoge said politely: “Director Guo, I’d like to ask you a question. May I?”
Director Guo looked at Lu Qiaoge. He knew this young cadre.
In certain circles, Lu Qiaoge was quite famous!
